Seamus Klaus
by energy
Summary: implied slash. H/? & R/S. Christmas in Gryffindor. Mistletoe. Egg Nogg. Suprise Love. Leave me some reviews!!
1. where the hell is Harry?

Well, this is my first Harry potter fic, (the first of many, hopefully) so be a little easy on me, you all. Any constructive comments are greatly appreciated. Any flames will be used to keep my basement somewhere above 32 degrees. This comes from a Christmas challenge that I saw posted somewhere. In it, the following things must happen:  
  
  
  
1. Somebody must say "Merry Christmas" in a foreign language.  
  
2. Dobby must knit/have knitted someone socks.  
  
3. Someone must kiss someone else for the first time under mistletoe - and we're not talking a peck on the cheek ;-)  
  
4. Someone must bake something.  
  
5. Someone has to give a quill as a gift.  
  
6. There must be a snowball fight.  
  
7. Someone must say the line "You're looking quite nice this evening. Either that, or someone spiked the egg nog."  
  
   
  
Oh, just for the record, I love Seamus. There aren't enough fics with him out there.  
  
Well, without further adieu, I bring you  
  
  
  
Seamus Claus  
  
It was Friday afternoon, about 4 o'clock or so. Harry had been sitting with Seamus near the fire for the last five minutes or so. Had anyone been paying them any heed or been listening, they would have noticed that the conversation was mostly one sided. Seamus was doing nearly all the talking and Harry was listening with wide eyes and a little disbelief. Ron was playing chess with Neville and beating him quite badly. Hermione was surprisingly not studying, having taken her last final earlier that day. She was instead talking with Ginny. Fred and George and a few others were hanging decorations for the Gryffindor Christmas party that was going on tonight. The rest of the common room was engaged in various activities and discussions.  
  
"So, Harry, that's my little story," Seamus said, curling up into the chair and pulling his legs under him. "Whad'ya think?"  
  
"I. I uhh..I don't know. I need to think."  
  
"Okay. Think then." Seamus said. "I'm going to go take a little nap before dinner tonight." With that, Seamus got up and walked upstairs to the dormitories.  
  
Harry sat in his chair for a minute and then shook his head, as to get rid of cobwebs. It apparently didn't work because he stood up with a really confused look on his face and threw his cloak over his shoulder and started walking towards the door.  
  
"Hey Harry, where're you going?" Ron asked.  
  
"I need to umm.. I'm going to take a little walk and think about a few things."  
  
Before Ron or Neville could get a reply in, Harry was out the door.  
  
"I wonder what that is about?" Neville asked.  
  
"I don't have any bloody idea. Checkmate." Ron replied.  
  
Harry walked in silence through the halls of Hogwarts. The people he passed seemed to barely notice him. He walked out the front doors and began strolling across the snow-covered grounds. Harry looked up and saw that it was snowing again. Not hard, just steady. He walked fairly near to Hagrid's house and grinned slightly as he saw Hagrid yelling at Fang and the two of them having a tug-of-war on a basket.  
  
"Let go of it, you cur!"  
  
"Grrrrrrr." Fang was wagging his tail fiercely. Obviously this was great fun for him.  
  
"Let it be!" Finally, Hagrid was able to wrest the basket from Fang and started heading toward the chicken coops he kept out back.  
  
"Now get back inna house before I make ye a rug."  
  
Fang went back into the house, of course. Hagrid saw Harry and waved to him.  
  
"Allo, Harry!" he called out. Harry raised his hand and waved back but didn't answer. Harry kept walking, soon putting the house between himself and Hagrid. He gathered his eggs and went back inside and started cooking.  
  
About Two Hours Later  
  
Hagrid looked quite silly in the apron, really. 'Kiss the Chef' it read, in black letters on red cloth. "Aaah , Blimey!!" he exclaimed as he reached into the oven with his mitt and pulled out the sheet with lumps of dough that contained what looked like chocolate. He quickly set the tray down on the counter and looked at the mitt that was on his left hand. There was a large hole in it, of course, that was why his hand was a little burned. "Fang! I'll put you out for the winter if you dun keep from eatin' everyting in sight."  
  
Fang buried his head in his paws and gave Hagrid the normal "I didn't do anything look." Hagrid wasn't amused in the least as he threw the mitt into the corner. "it's yours now, you know, go ahead, eat the rest o' it." Hagrid swore that the dog was grinning at him.  
  
Hagrid took the other trays out of the oven with one hand, giving a few scowls at Fang as he did so. He was busy taking the cookies off the sheets when there was a rapping on his door.  
  
"Ay', who is 't?"  
  
"It's Ron and Hermione," a feminine voice called from the doorway.  
  
"Come in, then. I'm in the kitchen."  
  
The two opened the huge door and stepped inside. They stomped their boots to get the snow off and took off their cloaks, which also had a dusting of snow. Ron's stomach growled when he got a whiff of hagrid's cooking. Hermione set her coat on a chair and picked up Ron's from the floor.  
  
"Whatcha making, Hagrid?" Ron asked as he walked into the kitchen.  
  
"Well Ron, I'm makin' some cookies for the holidays. Gingerbread and chocolate chip, mostly."  
  
Fang was sneakily coming near the counter as they had their little talk. His tail wagged, and he edged yet closer.  
  
"Hagrid, they look more like pies than cookies, they're huge," Hermione exclaimed.  
  
"Well, this is the first time I've made cookies and I wasn't sure about a few of the directions. You know, what size spoon does I use to spoon out the dough? How much is a pinch? It's all a might bit confusing."  
  
Hermione looked at the enormous spoon laying on the counter. Or was it a soup ladle?  
  
"Go on then, try one you two."  
  
Ron dove in, picking up a medium sized cookie, about the size of a tea saucer and quite irregularly shaped. Within seconds, half the cookie was gone and chocolate was smeared all over Ron's face.  
  
"I'll be! These are good," Ron somehow got out through a mouthful. Hermione chose a much smaller piece. It looked nothing like her mum's cookies, but it did actually taste okay.  
  
"Fang!!! You mangy thing. Get down from the table. Put that down! No dessert for you tonight mister!" Fang slunk away, happily, because he got his cookie. Wagging his tail, he laid by the door and began munching away, smiling.  
  
The two children were laughing so hard that they were crying. Hagrid was dancing around and yelling at Fang and the dog was just acting like everything was normal.  
  
After he shook his head at the dog and got three mugs from the cupboard, Hagrid poured them all a bit of milk and then ate a cookie or two himself. "So, (chomp) wha' brings you two ou' here (chomp).?"  
  
"Well Hagrid, we were looking for Harry. He wandered off a while ago, saying something about needing to think a few things over. We've not seen him since, what Hermione, two hours ago?"  
  
"Yes, it was about two hours ago." Hermione finished.  
  
"Well, I did see 'm a while ago walking by the lake when I was out getting some eggs from me chickens. I yelled 'Allo' to him, but he just barely waved and kept walking. Did something 'appen in class today? Was it that git Malfoy?"  
  
"No, actually Malfoy wasn't bothering anyone for a change. As far as I can tell, nothing happened to Harry today," Hermione said plainly.  
  
"What about you then, Ron?" Hagrid asked the chocolate-faced boy. "did you see anything unusual?"  
  
After swallowing a big gulp of milk, Ron replied, "Not really. The last time I saw Harry before he left, he was talking to Seamus in the common room."  
  
Setting her glass down a little harder than she meant to, Hermione quickly said to Ron, "Why didn't you mention that about an hour ago, before we started trudging all over the grounds looking for him. In the snow, no less."  
  
"Well, I didn't really even think about it until just now. Maybe we should go find Seamus then?"  
  
Hagrid was sitting there chuckling at the youth's exchange. He got up and wrapped a huge portion of the cookies he had baked in a cloth and put it on the table before the still bickering children. "Here. Take these back to the dorms with ye when you go find Seamus. I baked them for yous, but since you're here now, I won't have to bring them up later."  
  
"Thanks!!!" Ron yelled. The two got up and put their cloaks back on and with the cookie package in Ron's grasp, headed back toward the castle.  
  
They were about half way there when they heard a bunch of commotion coming from the Quiddich field. Ron and Hermione walked over to the field and saw a bunch of red and gold scarved students having a snowball fight. They heard the unmistakable Irish accent of Seamus from the field.  
  
"There's Seamus there! Let's go see what went on with Harry," Hermione said, "and quick. It's getting dark and I'm getting cold."  
  
"Right, plus we have to get back for dinner and the Gryffindor Christmas party," Ron said as the two of them descended to the field.  
  
"Hey Seamus! Seamus Finnegan!! Come here, we need to talk to you," Hermione yelled across the battlefield, and then she began to dodge a barrage of snowballs coming towards her and Ron. Ron was hit, and apparently forgot why they had come down here as he scooped up a handful of snow and launched it into the fray. Hermione stamped her foot in irritation as the boys were engaged in all out war. Finally, after she had had enough (about two minutes later), she picked up a handful of snow and threw it at Ron. "Ron!!" she called.  
  
Ron turned around just in time to catch the mushy ball right in the face.  
  
"Ron, did you forget that we were here for a reason?"  
  
"Yes, actually I did. Oh. That's right, we came to talk to Seamus," Ron said sheepishly. "Seamus, can we talk to you for a bit?  
  
"Sure, I'm about done here anyway. I'm freezing and I've got ice in my unders. So what do you want to talk about?" Seamus asked as they were walking back toward the castle, leaving the other dozen or so boys to finish their battle.  
  
"Well, Ron and I are hoping that maybe you know why Harry wondered off today. Ron said that he saw you two together a short bit before Harry left," Hermione inquired.  
  
"Aye, we were having a little chat. I was relaying a bit o' information to Harry about, well, I don't really know if I should be telling you this," Seamus said, protesting a bit at the end.  
  
"We just want to know if he's alright. What did you tell him, Seamus?" Ron frantically asked him.  
  
"Well, let me tell you this. I had a talk with someone and found out that the someone likes Harry a lot, and I told Harry. I shan't be telling you who this person is, of course. It's private."  
  
"It's private between you and the person, and then you told Harry about it? How private is that?" Hermione let out in shock.  
  
"Hey, C-, I mean that person, said that it would probably be okay if I told him. Besides, how could I not? They'd make such a cute couple!"  
  
Seamus was smiling big time at the thought of Harry and his mystery admirer together. Ron and Hermione exchanged puzzled glances and barraged Seamus with questions.  
  
"Who is it?" "Is it Cho?" "That girl from Hufflepuff, oh, what was her name, Hermione?" "Susan?" "Come on, tell us." "You have to tell us!"  
  
Seamus stopped on the steps of the castle and looked at the two of them and began to laugh hysterically. "Even if you were right, which you're not, I still wouldn't tell you. It has to come from either Harry or the other person." He looked from Hermione to Ron, smiling madly all the while. He put a gloved hand up to Ron's face and pinched his cheek a little. "Oh Ronnikins, you are sooo cute when you're puzzled, which by the way, is quite often. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to change now."  
  
With that parting remark, Seamus stepped into the castle and left the puzzled duo on the steps. "Oh Ronnikins," Hermione said slightly mockingly, "you do look cute when you're puzzled."  
  
"Aarrg! I wish he would stop that. Let's go." Ron had walked two steps when he blurted out "Who is it Hermione? We have to find out."  
  
"I know. It is already driving me crazy and we've only known for five minutes."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Well, this turned out to be a lot longer than I anticipated, so this will have to be part one.  
  
Who is Harry's secret crush? Does Ron really hate it when Seamus calls him 'Ronnikins?  
  
Find out in part two (hopefully to be written by Tuesday - sooner if I decide to skip work tomorrow). Tell me what you think, pleaz???? Thankx. 


	2. Whoooo?

Okay, part two is here. I sort of forgot to mention that this takes place during Harry's third year at Hogwarts, my bad. I also forgot to mention that I don't own any of these wonderful characters. If I did, I wouldn't be writing in my freezing basement, instead I'd be on a nice warm beach now. Anyway, so don't sue me.  
  
This is turning out to be a much longer story than I had planned on writing, but the further I go, the further I seem to get from the ending. I guess that is a good thing for a writer, but I want to get to the mistletoe and egg nogg!!! Maybe tonight..On with the show..  
  
  
  
Seamus had entered the castle and Ron and Hermione were still standing on the front steps thinking about everything the Irish lad had said. They walked inside and saw Seamus climbing the stairs and rounding the corner and heading towards the Gryffindor's tower. Ron shook the snow from his cloak and Hermione followed suit. The two slowly followed up behind him, being delayed by a staircase moving.  
  
"Really, Hermione, we just have to find out who has a crush on Harry. If we don't, I might just go mad. Let's go ask him."  
  
"No Ron! We can't just go and ask him. Did you stop and think for a second that maybe he doesn't want to tell anyone yet, after all, he did just wander out of the common room a while ago instead of telling you."  
  
"Oh, he'll tell me. I'm his best friend."  
  
"Ron, if you ask him, I'll have to tell Professor Snape how all those nasty skrewt droppings got into the Slytherin's kettles a few weeks ago."  
  
Ron looked aghast. "How on earth did you ever find out about that? No one saw me. I had Harry's invisibility cloak on."  
  
"I didn't until just now. I had my suspicions though. Now don't ask Harry."  
  
"Have an 'A' in your blackmail class, now do you, Hermione?"  
  
"Just don't Ron. We can wait. Besides, with all the fun we'll have at the party tonight, you won't even think about who has a crush on Harry."  
  
"That remains to be seen. Let's go get changed and head to dinner. That slush ball of yours ran all inside my clothes. Wicked shot, really."  
  
"Thanks Ron. Didn't think I had an arm, did you?"  
  
With that, they had reached the top of the stairs and followed the hallways to their dorms. The Fat Lady watched them come up.  
  
"Has Harry come back yet?" Hermione asked.  
  
"No, dear. I've not seen him in quite a while now."  
  
"He'll show up Hermione. He wouldn't miss the party." To the Fat Lady, Ron said the password of the day, "Killian's Red."  
  
The Fat Lady swung open, revealing a magnificently decorated common room. A tree trimmed in red and gold sat in the center, with a large pile of presents underneath. A table was sat up on one wall with two large bowls, stockings were hung on the mantle (not by the chimney with care, btw, as all the stockings in Gryffindor wouldn't fit there, no matter how carefully you placed them).  
  
Most of the Gryffindors that had a name were in there, finishing up the decorations or preparing to go down to dinner. Colin and his brother Dennis were sitting watching Seamus and Neville play chess. Dean was talking to Parvati, the other Weasleys were setting punch bowls and other party things on the table.  
  
"They've sure done a lot in two hours, eh Hermione?" Ron asked, in awe as the quiddich girls flew over head hanging streamers from the ceiling.  
  
They were walking past the chess table and Seamus reached out and goosed Ron's rear.  
  
"Seamus! When will you stop that? I'm not like that!"  
  
"Sure you're not, Ronnikins." He moved his chess piece. "Checkmate, Neville."  
  
Neville sat back in the chair and sighed.  
  
Hermione and most of the others in the room were giggling quietly, trying not to burst out at Ron's expense. They succeeded for about four seconds.  
  
"Really guys, I swear. I'm not gay!" Ron protested.  
  
"Sure Ronnikins, you're not. Of course," Fred somehow got out.  
  
"Uh huh!" said George and Ron's ears and face turned as red as his hair. Ron bolted back out the common room door. He decided he needed a little walk of his own before he went back in there again.  
  
"Where would Harry go to think inside Hogwarts? He's not in the common room. Think." Ron thought to himself as he walked along the corridors. "Where does he go?" The answer came to him a minute or so later. "The Owlery! With Hedwig! That's where Harry is." Ron called out to the empty hallway and making haste toward the Owlery.  
  
Meanwhile in the common room,  
  
Hermione was sitting across the chess board from Neville. Colin and Dennis, the earlier spectators had gone to scrub up for dinner. Seamus had got up after his victory and was laying on a couch watching and Neville had asked her if she wanted to play.  
  
"I'm not very good at it, Neville," she said.  
  
"I know, that's why I want to play you," thought Neville, but instead he said "I'm not either, in case you haven't noticed."  
  
"Alright, I'll play. We have a little time before dinner anyway." She sat down and the game began.  
  
While she waited for Neville to make his moves, she pondered all the possible choices of who could have the crush on Harry. She ran through all the girls in Gryffindor. Most of them just liked Harry, not 'liked' Harry. Hmm.she took her turn. What about Hufflepuff? Maybe it was Susan Bones. Maybe? She seemed to look at Harry a lot, maybe it was her. What about Slytherin? No way. There are nothing but ogres in skirts in Slytherin. Nothing Harry would need to think about. Her turn. Ooh Neville! Not a good move. Her turn again. Ravenclaw? Could it be Cho, their Seeker?  
  
(((((Author's Note Here-- I hate Cho, and you should too. Now back to the story)))))  
  
No, no one liked Cho. It couldn't be her. Who was it? Her turn. Then out of the blue, she had an idea.  
  
"Seamus, it's a boy, isn't it? It isn't a girl. I'm right aren't I? That's why Harry went to take a walk and think?" and after moving her piece, "oh, Neville, checkmate."  
  
Seamus got that huge grin across his face again and said, "Aye, it might well be. Still thinking about it, eh? Aye, it is. I'll tell you that much, but the name shan't escape me lips."  
  
With that, he got and headed to the dorms.  
  
Neville threw his hands up in the air. It was obvious that he was not destined to win a game of wizard's chess until his early twenties. The dejected Neville Longbottom put the pieces away, all the while hearing them complain to him about his poor choices in the previous game. Ginny had just finished pouring punch into one of the large bowls on the table and egg nogg in the other and the twins had completed the snack arranging.  
  
"Well everyone, shall we go to dinner now?" she called to the Gryffindors assembled in the room. "Seamus, are you ready?" she asked as he was coming down the steps, putting his wand in his robe.  
  
"Go ahead. I'll only be a minute," he replied. The others all filed out the door. Last out was little Dennis Creevey who glanced back and saw Seamus draw his wand and start to walk to the snack table. The door swung shut, and not entirely surprisingly, a small shook the common room. "This time for sure," thought Seamus, waving his wand again...  
  
Meanwhile, in the Owlery,  
  
Harry sat huddled under a thick blanket as he watched the stars come out. "Fitting, isn't it," Harry muttered to Hedwig, "the stars are coming out, and I might be doing the same thing." Hedwig just turned her head sideways and then began preening her right wing. Harry crossed his legs and pulled the blanket a bit tighter.  
  
If I liked him, that would make me, well, I'd be gay then. He is an awfully cute boy. EEE! How can I think of him like that? That's just not right.  
  
"Whooo?" chirped Hedwig, switching wings.  
  
Harry glanced up and then fell back into his thoughts. Everyone says that people like that are just bad. But Seamus is, Seamus is gay. He is a pretty alright guy, a bit strange tho sometimes. So, I guess that everyone might be wrong. And even if they're not, that's too bad.  
  
"Whooo?" Hedwig called again as she finished preening and nibbled on his finger a bit.  
  
"All the people who say that being gay is wrong, that's who."  
  
I do like him. I do. Seamus says that he likes me, and I don't think Seamus'd lie about something like that. My mind's made up then. Tonight, I'll do it. Anyone who doesn't like it can go to Slytherin.  
  
"Whoooooo? Hedwig called loudly as she fluttered to a nearby chair and looked at him.  
  
"Haven't you figured it out yet, Hedwig? I'm talking about how tonight I'm going to tell C-"  
  
The door of the Owlery burst open and a quite winded Weasley stormed in.  
  
"Harry!!! We'vebeenlookingeverywhereforyou. Wherehaveyoubeen? Areyouallright?" Ron inhaled deeply and seemed to settle down a bit.  
  
"I've been thinking a few things over for a while now Ron. I'm okay. I didn't mean to worry anyone. I just needed a spot of quiet time."  
  
"All right then." Ron answered and there was a few seconds of silence between the two of them as Harry stood up and folded the blanket.  
  
Ron's mind was a blur for those seconds. He desperately wanted to right out ask Harry what Seamus told him, but he had visions of having to clean all of the pots in Snape's class with his tongue. "So Harry, dinner is in a few minutes, you don't want to be late do you?" he asked instead.  
  
"Of course not. Let's go." Harry set the folded blanket on the chair and they walked out of the Owlery.  
  
I know that at least two of you have read this (thank you bunny&pie and SailorSorceress for you reviews - Crabbe? Who knows. Mistletoe? One more night probably) and want to know who has the crush on Harry. Just wait. For some reason I couldn't think of how to write Harry tonight. Everything I wrote seemed like a public service announcement on tolerance. So after an hour of no luck, I took a break and went to BP and got a Code Red and some salt and vinegar chips. They seemed to do the trick..  
  
Next time, the dinner and the party. What was Seamus up to as Dennis looked on and the door shut? Hmmm.. Is Ron really gay (I'll give you a free-bee - yes) who gets the socks? Check back really soon..  
  
oh yeah! reviews are good karma, you know. 


	3. presents and mistletoe

Okay, part three is here. First, tho, a short correction from part two. When Seamus waves his wand after the door closes, it should say a 'small explosion shook the common room.' I'll have to fire my proofreading monkeys if they slip up like that again (glares at monkeys).  
  
Since FFN doesn't like my italics, until I figure out how to do them (or one of you great reviewers tell me), I'm using these little star things to denote thoughts******.  
  
On a third note, have you noticed that there are only about 15 people named in Gryffindor? If I'm not mistaken, there are about 1000 students in Hogwarts, divided to the four houses. Let's say that the majority (the average) go into Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff - say 60%. 20% for Slytherin and Gryffindor each. That would make under 10% of the Gryffindor house named. Are there really about 180 bodies walking around never doing anything? Sorry for the little rant and all. That's just bugged me for a bit now.  
  
Well, without further adieu,  
  
  
  
Dinner was quite a bit more raucous than normal. The other classes were having their parties after the meal as well, so naturally, the children were all much more hyper than normal. The tables were all festively decorated in reds and greens, and the ceiling was enchanted to look like a snowy morning. Even neater, nearly giving Dennis a start, was the little white specks that floated down and then disappeared. It looked as if it were snowing in the Great Hall.  
  
The majority of Gryffindor was there, only Harry, Ron, and Seamus and a few other stragglers had yet to show up. Hermione was getting a little anxious about Harry and Ron, since she'd not seen them in a bit. She was contemplating getting up and going to look for them herself when Seamus strolled over to the table. His hair was a little blackened and he had apparently wiped most but not all of something from his face.  
  
"Seamus, you have a bit of, er, something right above your eye," she said as he sat near her.  
  
"Oh, thanks," he said wiping again, trying not to look guilty and almost succeeding.  
  
"Seamus Finnigan, what did you do?"  
  
"Oh, that. It's nothing really, just, you know. Those bloody pigeons."  
  
"What?" Hermione was about to start a typical barrage of questions when she saw Ron and Harry walk into the Great Hall. "Never mind."  
  
If she would have been touching the table, she would have shaken all the silver off on to the floor she was so jittery. When the two finally reached the table, she shot off her chair and was in front of them quicker than lightning.  
  
"Harry, is everything okay? You're alright?"  
  
"Yes, Hermione, I'm fine. Just like I told Ron, I just had to think for a while. I didn't mean to worry anyone."  
  
"Well, we were just concerned. That's all," Hermione said, sitting back down.  
  
Ron jumped, and turned to face an extremely innocent looking Seamus.  
  
"Hello, Ronnikins. Nice of you to join us tonight," Seamus called in a voice that sounded like a thirteen year old Irish boy impersonating Barry White.  
  
"Finnegan, I swear to Merlin that if you pinch my bum one more time, you'll draw back a stump."  
  
Laughing hysterically, Seamus turned back to the table. Ron sat down on the other side of Harry, putting a bit of space between the Irish lad and himself. Of course, the rest of the table that heard was laughing too, so Ron just shook his head.  
  
"Ron, you didn't ask him, did you?" whispered Hermione into Ron's ear after she composed herself.  
  
"No, I didn't. I nearly did, but I stopped. He'll tell me when he's ready."  
  
Conversations died down as Dumbledore said a few words, like gobbleeflip and grundlemeer, and then the food appeared. It was delicious, and the students quickly gorged themselves on the red and green turkeys and other colored food. They were all eager to get back upstairs for the party.  
  
"Now, listen everyone, listen," Dumbledore was standing again. "I know that you all are happy that the term is over, but all those who are going home tomorrow, remember, don't stay up too late tonight, because morning will come much sooner than you think. I know that you don't want to hear me talk anymore, so feel free to return to your rooms. Have a Happy Christmas." He spread his arms in a dismissing gesture and sat back down.  
  
People began filing out of the great hall. Ron walked quite carefully around Seamus, covering his rear as he went. Seamus, of course, chased him like a hunting dog.  
  
"So Harry, ready for the party?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Sure am. I thought the dinner would never end."  
  
"It sure is convenient that all the other nameless people in our house are going home tomorrow and are going to bed early isn't it?"  
  
"It sure is. I've not met a one of them in my three years here, so I don't know if I want to hang out with them or not," Harry replied, thinking the same thoughts as the author of this story.  
  
Harry looked at the people remaining in the hall and saw someone that he needed to talk to. "Hermione, go on up, I'll be there in a minute or two."  
  
"Uh, okay Harry, see you soon." Hermione started walking but spared a few parting glances back at Harry. She barely heard him mutter, "Neville, can I talk to you for a minute?" before she was too far away.  
  
*Neville!!!! No, it couldn't be Neville, could it?* She thought as she headed up the stairs. *Well, he is cute. Whoever makes Harry happy*.  
  
Back in the common room, the rest of the group arrived. Ginny was pouring cups of punch and egg nogg for everyone. The twins were talking to the quiddich girls (who do have names, but I don't feel like getting my books to find them) with Dean and Lee. Colin and Dennis were getting snacks, Parvati was behind them. Hermione was sitting near the tree with Seamus. Ron was sitting across from them, eyeing Seamus suspiciously. Harry and Neville walked in a short bit later. Neville looked a bit unsettled, Hermione noted, cementing her suspicions. Harry walked up to the dorms for a moment and returned and deftly slid another package under the tree while no one was looking.  
  
Once Harry had gotten a cup of nogg, Seamus stood up and exclaimed  
  
"Knolling Shona Dhuit everyone!!" everyone stopped what they were doing and just stared at the lad.  
  
"What the bloody hell does that mean, Seamus?" Ron burst out after a few seconds of silence  
  
"Well, Ronnikins, it means Happy Christmas."  
  
"Oh, why didn't you say so then," Ron stammered and took a draught of his nogg and grimaced.  
  
"I did, master Weasley," he replied, shooting a big grin at Ron.  
  
"Right, right," Ron replied, getting up to get a refill.  
  
Hermione glanced at the tree and noticed the stacks of presents. "Hey everyone, let's open presents now!" Everyone seemed quite agreeable to that. She played the part of Santa Klaus and passed the gifts out. Everyone had a few, so they just took turns opening them.  
  
They went around the room once, and it came back to Ron. He picked up a soft and irregularly wrapped package. "It says 'from Dobby', he said "I wonder what it is."  
  
Harry knew. Socks. He had a similar package in front of him, too. Ron unwrapped it, and pulled out two thick woolen socks. "Socks. Dobby gave me socks."  
  
Seamus' face lit up like the Christmas tree he was seated next to. "Well, Ron, he probably gave them to you to replace the ones you have set aside for your 'midnight escapades'"  
  
Ron's face went the deepest red imaginable. "I... Seamus you?.. I wait until everyone is asleep! I.. I" Ron takes another deep drink as the room once again erupts in laughter, Harry the hardest, Hermione a close second. Only Dennis, not quite sure what they're talking about isn't laughing.  
  
((((just in case anyone missed that last comment, watch the front of American Pie))))  
  
Ron gets up and gets yet another glass of egg nogg.  
  
"Ron, how do you drink that stuff? It tastes bad," Hermione asks.  
  
"Ah, it's not that bad," he says as he grimaces again. "this is a bit different than normal, though." On that, Seamus giggles most uncontrollably.  
  
"Yeah, the punch is a bit odd too, but I like it," Hermione says. Seamus falls out of his chair laughing.  
  
"What the bloody hell is wrong with him?" Ron asks, nearly missing his chair as he tries to sit back down. "I think he's a bit loony."  
  
"Can't breathe!!" Seamus gets out between fits of laughter. He crawls back into his chair and wipes tears from his eyes.  
  
They go back around the room, opening. Neville gets another Remembral so he can remember where the other one is. Harry also gets socks from Dobby. The turn comes back to Colin. He picks up a rather long, skinny package that doesn't anything written in the 'from' space of the tag. Only 'To Colin.'  
  
"I wonder who this is from?" He asked, tearing the paper off. Inside there was a quill, a little bottle of ink, and two pieces of parchment. Colin picked up the two sheets. One was blank, the other had a little message in beautiful, flowing script. * 'the other one is for the autograph you've always wanted'* Colin read to himself.  
  
"Well, who's it from, Colin," Dean asked as he pulled on his new sweater.  
  
"I don't know. It doesn't say. Quite odd. Very nice quill, though." He looked around the room. "Dennis?"  
  
"Not me Colin. You already opened mine."  
  
"Oh, well."  
  
"Punch anyone?" Hermione asked as she got up and headed to the table. A few 'me's' answered her. "I'll take an egg nogg," Ron called. She brought back a handful of cups.  
  
Ron was on his eighth cup of nogg and his head was spinning like a child's top. He also felt quite randy. He hadn't felt like this since, well, about midnight yesterday. He had grown a little quiet while the others finished opening their gifts. *"Stop looking at Seamus, Ron*" he tried to tell himself. *"You're not gay, remember?"* "Shut up, head," he said aloud, causing everyone to look his way. He gave them a never mind gesture and went back to his drink. *"you know, he does look cute over there, and it has been almost an ENTIRE day, so."* "Oh, fine then, you win, head." This caused them all to look at him again.  
  
"Ron, are you okay over there?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just feeling a bit odd at the moment."  
  
*"Just do it, you bloody coward. You know you want to. Just look at him. Grrrr, tiger."*  
  
Feeling it a bit more now, Ron sat back in the chair and looked directly at Seamus. "You're looking quite fine this evening. Either that, or someone spiked the egg nogg."  
  
"Well, Ron, the answer to both is yes. Yes, I am looking quite fine tonight, and yes, I did spike the egg nogg."  
  
"Seamus!! You spiked the egg nogg?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Of course, you think that in three years I've not got that rum spell to work? And besides, how else could we get little Ronnikins to admit his feelings. Oh, and Fred, you two owe me ten pounds."  
  
"You bet on me?" Ron exclaimed. "And you only bet 10?"  
  
"Well, Ron, George and I have had suspicions now for a while. We weren't about to go and loose all our money, now were we George?"  
  
"Absolutely not."  
  
Ron looks like he is a bit mad, mostly at only being worth ten pounds, but instead of saying anything about it, he got up and went over and sat down between Hermione and Seamus.  
  
They all talked for a bit, about everything and anything. Quiddich, that git Malfoy, anything. Everyone was getting a bit tired, some of it from the time now being after 1 am, the rest from the spiked punch. Dean had already headed up to the bedrooms, and Ron was halfway asleep with his head on Seamus' shoulder. Harry was standing behind the couch with Ron, Seamus and Hermione on it, talking to the three of them. Colin stood up and headed for the table.  
  
"One more for me and then I think I'm going to turn in." He glanced towards the quartet by the couch and walked over to the table.  
  
Harry glanced over at Neville and mouthed the words 'now' to him. Neville casually pulled his wand out and muttered 'wingardium leviosa' and waived his wand at a sprig of mistletoe, moving it over the punch table. Harry was over there faster than Filch and casually said to Colin, "Did you like my present?"  
  
"The quill? It was from you? I love it. But Harry, I didn't get you anything."  
  
"Yes you did. Look up."  
  
Colin glanced up and noticed the mistletoe hanging above him.  
  
"You got me the best present that I wouldn't admit I wanted."  
  
"Did.. Did Seamus tell you then?"  
  
"Yes, he did. You aren't mad at him are you?"  
  
"Not mad, a bit embarrassed maybe, but not mad."  
  
"That's good, then. Oh, Colin, I forgot to give you the other part of your present."  
  
"There's more?"  
  
"Yeah, just a bit more." With that, Harry leaned in and gave him the softest and sweetest kiss you could imagine. More tender than should be allowed and finer than the best wine. When they parted a good twenty seconds later, the found the rest of the room staring at them. Colin was mortified and began shaking a bit. Harry put his arm around him and pulled him tighter.  
  
"Good show, Harry," Seamus said.  
  
Hermione looked a bit surprised. She was sure it was Neville. A big grin spread across her face, though. "Happy Christmas Harry," she said.  
  
"Yeah, Harry, Rolling Sunny Donut," Ron said.  
  
"That's 'Knolling Shona Dhuit', Ron, get it right now." Seamus replied.  
  
"That's what I said."  
  
"Well, I never saw that coming, did you, Fred?" George asked.  
  
"Nope, who was it we bet on again? Was it Harry and Malfoy, George?"  
  
"Yes 'twas."  
  
"Oh yeah, like that would EVER happen," Harry said, pulling Colin a bit closer still. Colin looked up into those green eyes and smiled and hugged Harry back.  
  
  
  
On that note, the last page is turned and the book is shut. Happy Christmas.  
  
  
  
Well, that concludes my first story. I hope you all enjoyed it. I hope for loads of reviews. Please please please. I guess that is it. I'll get to work on my next couple of stories now, quite a bit darker than this one. 


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